And membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saintsclearly has a positive influence on mental health, according to DanielK. Judd's review of 540 studies on religion and mental health.

"With few exceptions, Latter-day Saints who live their livesconsistent with the teachings of the (church) experience greaterwell-being, increased marital and family stability, less delinquency,less depression, less anxiety, less suicide and less substance abusethan those who do not," Judd said Tuesday during a BYU Forum oncampus.

Judd earned a doctoral degree in counseling psychology at BYU, wherehe is a professor of ancient scripture. He has focused for a decade onthe mental health of the membership of the LDS Church.

In 2001, a pharmacy benefits company released a study of its membersthat showed Utahns gulped down more anti-depressants in 2000 thanresidents of any other state.

National media outlets did stories, including one published by the LosAngeles Times during the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.

Since then, some psychiatrists and church critics have speculated theLDS faith and culture had something to do with Utahns usingantidepressants at twice the rate Californians did. Some critics saythe church or its culture demands too much of members, especiallywomen. About 70 percent of Utahns are church members.

Judd said there are no studies that explain the higher use ofantidepressants in Utah, or for that matter in Maine and Oregon =97 theother two states with high rates of anti-depressant use.

Judd also offered an explanation of his own.

"Perhaps one of the reasons the residents of Utah lead the nation inthe use of antidepressants is that since they are generally moreeducated and aware of the symptoms and treatments of depression, theyare more likely than the residents of other states to seek medicaltreatment."

In fact, he said, a closer look at the pharmacy study showed Utahnsdid appear more likely to seek medical help. The state also rankedfirst in the use of narcotic painkillers and was in the top three inprescriptions for thyroid medications, anticonvulsants andanti-rheumatics.

Overall, Utah ranked seventh in total prescriptions.

The president of the Utah Psychiatric Association thinks Judd could beright. Dr. Michael Kalm said Utahns, for example, are aware ofworld-class research conducted at the University of Utah's medicalcenter.

"We may be more willing to seek cutting-edge, scientifically basedtreatment for these disorders, including antidepressants," Kalm said.

Utah's LDS population also might more readily turn to the medicalprofession for help because the church advises members not to usealcohol and tobacco. Research indicates Latter-day Saints in Utah andelsewhere are less likely to self-medicate, Judd said, with thosedrugs or illegal drugs.

Judd said recent surveys show that some LDS women report higherincidences of depression than women outside the church, but added, "Iam not aware of any study using standardized psychometric tests thatassociates Latter-day Saint belief or practice with increaseddepression among LDS women, men, adolescents or children."

Judd began to review studies on religion and mental health in 1983.His look at 540 studies that measured both mental health and anyreligious affiliation, belief or practice showed that 51 percent founda positive association between religion and mental health. Sixteenpercent indicated a negative relationship.

"The majority of studies I have reviewed are supportive of theassertion that religious belief, and most especially faithfulreligious devotion, facilitates mental health, marital cohesion andfamily stability," Judd said.

The positive association held true for most religions.

His review also found that 71 percent of studies regarding LDS samplesindicated a positive relationship, with 4 percent negative, 24 percentneutral and 1 percent mixed.

Critics have also blamed LDS Church teachings and practices for ahigher-than-average rate of suicide in Utah, but Judd cited a study byBYU and University of Utah professors, published in 2002, that foundthe suicide rate among young men active in the LDS Church wassignificantly lower than among young men not active or not members ofthe church. The results replicated a similar study published 20 yearsearlier and was consistent with other studies.

He said recent research also shows that the divorce rate among LDScouples falls below the national average.

None of the findings should leave the impression LDS Church membersare superior to or have fewer challenges than other people, Judd said.

He also cautioned against perfectionism, acknowledging that LDSculture does lead some members to attempt too much.

"It's not our theology that's at fault," he said during aquestion-and-answer session. "It's our culture, at times. The doctrineisn't, 'Come unto me, all ye heavy laden, and I'll give you more todo.' "

BYU holds forum assemblies several times each semester. Each forum isa lecture by established professors, either from BYU or otheruniversities, or other experts who share research and insights fromtheir life's work.